mostlyadv.
/ˈməʊs(t)li/, U.S. /ˈmoʊs(t)li/ 1. For the most part; on the whole, usually.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > for or in the most part
mosteOE
almostOE
mostwhata1200
generally1340
chiefly138.
mostc1390
chiefa1556
mostly1563
substantially1638
prevalently1709
feckly1768
mostlings1808
1563 2nd Tome Homelyes sig. Ggg.ivv As thoughe a wyse, and a christian husband, should delyte to see his wife in such paynted, and florished visions [1623 visages], which common harlots mostly do vse.
1594 R. Carew tr. J. Huarte Exam. Mens Wits iv. 42 Mostly he made couplements of verses very well composed.
1627 W. Sclater Briefe Expos. 2 Thess. 42 Our Religion is mostly talke and discourse.
1671 R. McWard True Non-conformist 391 The consideration..whereupon the right dignoscing of such deeds doth mostly depend, is oftentimes most difficult.
1719 W. Wood Surv. Trade (ed. 2) 82 The Goods after they are manufactured are mostly sent Abroad.
1763 J. Woolman Jrnl. 20 June (1971) viii. 135 About forty houses.., mostly built of split plank.
1807 C. Schultz Let. 15 July in Trav. (1810) I. 8 The inhabitants are mostly of German descent.
1850 T. Carlyle Latter-day Pamphlets vi. 15 Consider..a body of Six-hundred and fifty-eight..persons.., with Twenty-seven millions, mostly fools, assiduously listening.
1904 H. Black Pract. Self-culture iii. 77 A man whose mind has been mostly fallow ground will not easily take to the mental plough and hoe.
1987 F. Flagg Fried Green Tomatoes 330 They were mostly good guys, just fellows down on their luck.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > in the greatest degree or most
mostOE
heldesta1400
greatestc1400
mostly1580
largemosta1672
mostest1888
1580 F. K. Of Crinitall Starre sig. Avi Also the partes that shall be mostly touched, be the hart, chest, brayne, eyes, backe, bladder.
1691 A. Gavin Frauds Romish Monks (ed. 3) 311 Those Women who mostly frequent the Confessionals..become [etc.].
1754 J. Shebbeare Marriage Act I. xix. 112 It [sc. the epithet] was applied to those Things which were mostly esteemed.
1768 Woman of Honor I. 14 Children..being susceptible of any impressions,..mostly so of good ones.
a1817 J. Austen Northanger Abbey (1818) II. ii. 32 The person whose society she mostly prized. View more context for this quotation
3. regional (chiefly Scottish and U.S.). Almost, nearly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > approximate quantity or amount > [adverb] > nearly (of amount)
well-nigheOE
nighOE
well-nearc1175
almostc1261
nighwhatc1300
nara1400
neara1400
anighsta1425
muchwhata1513
wellmost1548
most1629
nighly1694
nearly1769
partly1781
mostly1805
most1808
mostlings1816
about1827
nearabouts1834
fairly1840
welly1859
approaching1951
1805 J. Nicol Poems II. 86 Discord dinlin thro' his head Strikes little warbler maistlie dead.
1847 H. S. Riddell Poems, Songs & Misc. Pieces 26 The tempest now was maistly o'er.
1888 W. B. Yeats Fairy & Folk Tales 111 I lay in a dead swoon for mostly an hour.
1920 G. P. Dunbar Guff o' Peat Reek 23 I've haen my share o' ups an' douns, we maistly a' ha'e that.
1938 J. Stuart Beyond Dark Hills 177 I can do mostly anything.
1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. at Most Maistly,..almost, nearly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1563